New Brighton 27 Wilmslow 23

 

Report by Paul Lewis

The Blues secured their first victory of the year despite some anxious moments towards the end of this thriller.

The Blues forwards drive on again

They seemed to be cruising to a substantial win in the first 20 minutes with the forwards utterly dominant and leading 19 to 3 through tries from Phil Buckley and Keith Mahon with Luke Thompson adding a conversion and two well struck penalties. Further penalties were exchanged to make it 22 – 6 and with the half drawing to a close the Blues lost their way somewhat, Kati seemed to cross the whitewash but the referee was unsighted and could not award a try. Moments later Tevita Liku rounded off a well worked forward move to cross the line in the right corner and then set off towards the posts to ease the conversion attempt, the Wilmslow full back had other ideas and in the tackle the ball was spilt and a certain five points was lost. The visitors began to raise their game and pulled back a converted try to make it 22 – 13 at half time.

Half Time Score: New Brighton 22 – 13 Wilmslow

I don’t know what the Wilmslow coach said in the half time huddle but it was a different side that came out for the second half. From the kick off the visitors attacked with all guns blazing, the Blues were having to work overtime in the tackle department and within 7 minutes both Loa and Kati were dispatched to the sin bin for being offside at the breakdown. The visitors pressure finally paid and a converted try brought the scores to 22 - 20 after a mistake at the back. Moments later Luke Thompson pounced on a chipped ball to score a great individual try and take the score to 27 – 20.

Kieran Hibbs prepares to set up another drive

The final 15 minutes were not for those of a weak disposition, it was all Wilmslow who attacked from every corner of the field taking full advantage of the Blues reduced numbers. Loa’s resumption restored the Blues to 14 men but two minutes later it was sub Stott-Sugden’s turn to keep Kati company for a late tackle. The Blues were being pulled apart and were conceding penalties at a heavy rate, Wilmslow chose to go for goal on one such occasion to make it 27 – 23 but, thankfully, looked for touch or a scrum on the other half dozen opportunities. In hindsight had they chose to go for goal this match could well have ended differently, as it was the heart and tackling skills of the Blues were put to a severe test and they managed to hold on for a much needed win.

A good 60 minute performance from the Blues with the front row once again taking the man of the match award this week through Mohammed Mustafa who had his best game to date as he settles into the team, Kieran Hibbs had another good game as did the ever improving Alan Hesketh, the back line gelled much better and Nick Aldersley had his best game for some time. A magnificent first 20 minutes but still a bit patchy, all credit to Wilmslow for coming back into the game as they did.

Next week the ones are at home to Aspatria

Final Score: New Brighton 27 – 23 Wilmslow

Report of the match on the Wilmslow website

Altrincham Kersal 35 New Brighton 17

 

Report by Paul Lewis

If ever a score line failed to reflect a game this was it. The Blues with yet another changed side were dominant in terms of possession and territory .Sadly the backs had little to offer by way of variation against a home side bristling with imagination and options.

The home side started well with a try in the 6th minute from centre Matt Hulse who seemed to glide unmolested through the 10/12 channel, the conversion from full back Stewart made it 7 and it looked like the Blues were in for a long afternoon.

The first scrum of the game saw the Blues driving forwards but the referee adjudged the binding illegal awarding a penalty, and respite for the home pack.

The attempt on goal fell short and was ably cleared by Nick Aldersley, at full back, who had a solid afternoon.

The absence of a recognised jumper caused the Blues to try a number of unconventional options in the line some of which worked better than others and full credit to Phil Buckley who showed much greater accuracy than recent weeks. It was from one such line out in the 12th minute that the Blues set up a driving maul, Kati in his accustomed steering seat drove over for the last metre and Luke Thompson stepped up to level the scores.

The Blues seemed to have settled and, in the forwards at least, looked to have the game by the throat however the home side had plenty more to offer.

The Blues dominate the tight

There followed a period of what might best be described as odd decisions by the referee. At 7 – 7 the home side kicked off with at least 5 players well ahead of the kicker, the ball was caught by Mohammed who was immediately turned and penalised for not releasing the ball. Up stepped full back Stewart to restore the home advantage. The Blues then kicked off and the referee spotted two players ahead of the kicker, penalty to the home side.

A kick to the corner led to a lineout. Quick ball from the back of the line, a nice mixture of decoy runs and slick passing and the home side winger touched down to make it 15-7, the conversion was missed.

From the restart the home side were awarded a penalty when centre Ellis who was on the wrong end of a number of decisions was said to have been ‘at least 12 metres’ offside, the kick led to another line out and a similar outcome, this time touched down close to the posts and the home side were 22-7 ahead.

The Blues were down but not out and some tremendous support play involving Lewis, Mahon and Liku led to a pick up and drive from Loa who powered in to reduce the deficit.

Half time: Altrincham Kersal 22-14 New Brighton

If the visiting support was puzzled over some of the decisions in the first half it was the home side’s turn in the second when the referee awarded a series or penalties for offside at the maul which eventually resulted in a yellow card for the home side hooker who had had some compass problems all afternoon.

Alan Hesketh dives on a loose ball

Sadly the Blues failed to capitalise on the weakened opposition although going close twice conceded crucial and stupid penalties at the final stage. The penalty count continued to clock up and the home side slotted home 2 more form the able boot of Stewart and another slick try from their backs while the Blues could manage but a single penalty in the half from Luke Thompson.

Full time: Altrincham Kersal 35-17 New Brighton

The Blues need to sort out the penalty problem as a matter of urgency, whilst they may have been a shade hard done to with some decisions a tally of 21 – 8 suggests serious indiscipline or poor knowledge of the laws.

On the positive side Luke Thompson kicked well and if allowed to settle will bring a regular supply of points. The forwards were as strong as ever and with a specialist line out jumper will be too much by far for the remaining teams we have to play. Alan Hesketh gave another confident display as he progresses towards full match fitness but the man of the match ward for the Blues went to hooker Phil Buckley who dominated the front row and never stopped working all afternoon.

Altrincham Kersal were deserved winners on the day but the score line did not tell the full story.

New Brighton 29 Vale of Lune 32

 

Report by Doug Thorpe

Team Sheet: 15. Vinnie Dutton, 14. Gareth Simpson(Nick Aldersey), 13. Simione Mafi, 12. Sean Ellis, 11. Andy Signal, 10. Anthony Birley, 9. Luke Thompson, 1. Paul Lewis, 2. Phil Buckley, 3. Mohammed Mustafa, 4. Tevita Liku, 5. Keith Mahon, 6. Loa Tupou, 7. Kieran Hibbs, 8. Kati Tuipolutu(John Williams)

A cracking game, full of movement and drama for the uncommitted and more so for the those in the crowd who had travelled in support of Vale of Lune, but for the Blues and their supporters, a crashing disappointment. Without a win since mid November, New Brighton, badly needing a success, approached this encounter with a fair degree of optimism. Captain Kati was back after injury and the side had a competent solid look about it. Vale of Lune were not having the best of seasons and the Blues had lost by a mere three points when at Powder House Lane earlier in the season.

This is not to say that New Brighton played badly, they put on one of the best displays of the season to date. The forwards paved the way for all the home scores and the inimitable Kati rounded off three of them. Determined forward pressure on the Vale line was repeatedly foiled by illegal measures on the part of the defence for which the referee gave verbal warnings and awarded penalties where a penalty try or a yellow card might not have seemed unreasonable.

Vale of Lune were first off the blocks with a try on the second minute. Darren Wilson, the excellent Vale of Lune scrum half, formerly of Preston Grashoppers, collected a misdirected clearance jinked his way through a mesmerised defence to score under the post. Neale Foster tapped the ball over and seven points had been banked. The referee was injured keeping up with the move and the crowd were speculation on the possibility of the game having to be abandoned almost so soon after it had started. However, after attention from the physios he was able to continue without seeming to be too much the worse for wear.

Kati reduced the deficit with his first try – unconverted - on nine minutes. The ball had been moved wide and a well timed pass from Anthony Birley put Gareth Simpson away on the right. The winger chipped the ball ahead but a defender tapped the ball into touch on the five metre line. From the ensuing lineout catch and drive the ball was recycled a number of times with great control before the inevitable break through. Simpson repeated the identical move on eighteen minutes and again the result of the line out was beautifully controlled drive and a Kati try, again unconverted, but a penalty goal by Neale Foster for Vale only a few minutes earlier made the score at that time even at 10 points.

A lapse of concentration in the defence let Wallbank in for an unconverted try after the blindside flanker had picked up the ball at the base of the scrum and broke some feeble tackling to cross the whitewash on 27 minutes but the Blues did get ahead for half time as Loa Tupou powered his way through the tackles to touch down under the posts. Birley added the extras.

Half Time Score: New Brighton 17 – 15 Vale of Lune

By the hour mark the Blues still had a slender advantage. Kati had scored his third try converted by Birley to cancel an earlier converted try to Vale of Lune to bring the score at 24 points to 22 for the home side. But Vale of Lune put the game out of reach in the final quarter with another excellent try a conversion and a penalty goal.

Now needing two scores to win the game New Brighton stormed the visitors defence for the last 8 minutes for Vinny Dutton to cross the line in the final play. Unfortunately for the Blues it was too little and much too late.

Final Score: New Brighton 29 – 32 Vale of Lune

Photos